My friend gave me a sprint phone(im w/sprint) and told me she found it. So here i am calling sprint trying to get the phone activated but they told me i couldnt? or am i suppose to bring it to sprint?and whats up with the esn number?what is that?

can someone please tell me there is still hope on activating this phone?because i really like it...the phone is a sprint samsung mm-a940.... thanks

Re: lost phone can it still be activated?

Ok. An ESN number is an electronic serial number. It is generally located under the battery. Some newer phones have an MEID number instead. It is the way the wireless carrier (CDMA, like Sprint or Verizon) can activate your device. It is your phones special identity.

If your friend found the phone, it may have been reported stolen by the people who lost it. When a phone is reported stolen, they black list the phone. They block the ESN of the phone from being activated. The only way is to have the original owner (who lost the phone) to call the company and have the remove it from the black list.

I really doubt you will be able to activate it. Also, if you visit the Sprint store and try and activate it, if it is black listed, they will assume you stole it.

Originally Posted by Peter09

Hello, thanks for coming by. But I have a few question to be ask.

My friend gave me a sprint phone(im w/sprint) and told me she found it. So here i am calling sprint trying to get the phone activated but they told me i couldnt? or am i suppose to bring it to sprint?and whats up with the esn number?what is that?

can someone please tell me there is still hope on activating this phone?because i really like it...the phone is a sprint samsung mm-a940.... thanks

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Re: lost phone can it still be activated?

Originally Posted by Handsome

but i was told that there is a way to unlock the CDMA and use the phone but some dealers do it or programs are available does any one know about it?

When a cdma phone is reported lost/stolen/negative file, it CAN be flashed to a different carrier. In this case, a sprint phone was reported lost/stolen but you cannot activate it with sprint anymore, but a 3rd party dealer can flash it to verizon/cricket/alltel/boost or other CDMA carrier.